Cans have long been utilized for packaging colas and other carbonated drinks, for beer, water, fruit juices, and for a variety of other beverages. A wide variety of beverage can structures have been known and utilized as appropriate for particular drink applications. And, although most beverage cans have historically been constructed with smooth, relatively cylindrical sidewalls, a variety of alternate can structures have been developed.
However, a common problem encountered in beverage can structures which are known to me is that the cans leave a few "last drops" when the cans are emptied, thus always leave a few residual drops for spillage when the user engages in recycling of the cans. Additionally, a certain amount of splash occurs if the can is opened too quickly. Also, it is often rather difficult to achieve a "smooth" outlet flow from beverage cans, thus resulting in excessive foaming and head formation when pouring beer from such a can into a glass, for example. In general, the most commonly encountered openings in beverage cans, specifically a small elliptical opening provided when a tongue shaped tab is removed or popped inward and secured in the can, does not provide for a smooth flow of liquid from the can. Typically, such openings result in restricted outward flow, as outbound carbon dioxide competes with inbound air in the available opening space. Thus, smoothing the liquid flow, and thus decreasing carbon dioxide release by decreasing turbulent flow, would assist in flow of liquid from a beverage can. And, even though wide mouth type cans have enhanced drinkability to some limited degree, I have found such cans less than satisfactory in providing smooth, continuous delivery of a beverage to the mouth of the user. Additionally, if the user is not extremely careful, such wided mouth cans can cause a mess when opened.
Another problem inherent in many prior art beverage can designs is that the alignment of the liquid outlet with the drinker's mouth, or a desired glass, cannot be accomplished by touch alone. I am aware of one attempt to provide a can which can be aligned by touch, which can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,095, issued Sep. 13, 1994 to Richard Deal for a BEVERAGE CAN. However, his design diminishes the fluid capacity of a given height of can to an undesirable degree, since he provides flattened opposing surfaces on the can sidewalls, thus transforming cylindrical can sidewalls into an oval shape. And, it does not solve the problem which I have addressed with the present invention, namely, providing a can for the quick and efficient orientation with the users hand, without visual clues, while maximizing the fluid capacity of the container.
Thus, there remains a continuing, unmet need for a beverage can which minimizes turbulence of exiting liquid, both when opened and during the process of drinking the beverage, thus promoting drinkability, and which provides quick and easy orientation of the hands with respect to the liquid outlet. Further, there remains a continuing, unmet need for a beverage can which minimizes residual liquids in the can after the user has finished drinking.